Tuesday, 5 July 2016

This is from a memoir of Ludwig Wittgenstein by his former pupil Maurice Drury:

'After tea Johnson played some of Bach's Forty-eight Preludes and Fugues. Wittgenstein told me he admired Johnson's playing. On the way back to Trinity he told me that at one of these afternoons Johnson had played badly, and he knew it himself, but the audience had applauded loudly. This annoyed Johnson, so by way of revenge he gave as an encore the accompaniment only of a Beethoven violin sonata, which of course was meaningless without the violin part. This gesture seemed to please and amuse Wittgenstein.'

Ways in which, had I been there, I would have failed to get the joke which pleased and amused Wittgenstein:

1) I wouldn't have noticed Johnson was playing badly.
2) I wouldn't have noticed the audience were applauding indiscriminatingly.
3) I might have noticed Johnson was annoyed, but I wouldn't have known why.
4) I wouldn't have recognised the Beethoven violin sonata.
5) I might have noticed the piece sounded odd, but I wouldn't have known why, or that it wasn't meant to sound that way.
6) Even if I had understood all of the above... I don't think I'd have realised the choice of the sonata was intended as a rebuke to the audience for clapping the player's previous poor performance too enthusiastically. That seems to me quite a... subtle point.

I suppose what's happening here is I'm coming to the shocking conclusion that Wittgenstein was a cleverer man than I am. And also that I slightly regret not living in a world in which people take their revenge through their selection of Beethoven sonatas. Though, of course, the above shows that quite possibly people around me are doing things like this all the time, and I have simply never had Wittgenstein around to explain them to me.

Of course anyone else would have been quietly pleased to have got away with a poor performance and a kindly audience, and given them something thy could hum on the way home by Mozart by way of a thank you.

Wittgenstein made major contributions to philosophy, you, however, not content with the magnificent 'Travelling Lemon", are also the inventor of the game 'Yellow Car!', and have re-defined, at least for me, the word "brilliant". (I've never read any Wittgenstein, so I ay be wrong about the philosophy bit.)

(Postscript: Some of Beethoven's violin sonatas were played beautifully last night and broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and should be available on the BBC iPlayer for about a month.)

There seems to be little doubt Wittgenstein was cleverer than the vast majority of people ... but to pin an appraisal of intelligence on esoteric knowledge of classical music seems a little unfair; I mean, you could be a world-class expert on sketch comedy of the 1970s or the history of Disney animation and be just as objectively 'clever.' We tend to assume stuff perceived as high-brow requires more intelligence when often it's just a matter of exposure. Granted, the sort of cultural background that introduces you to Beethoven violin sonatas usually comes with access to higher education and enough disposable income and leisure time to pursue intellectual pastimes, but it's not necessarily an indicator of intelligence itself, rather the sort of environment where intelligence could flourish if present. I know someone who's passionate about classical music and believes everything Fox News tells him, so ... it's not a necessary association. Wittgenstein and Johnson shared a frame of reference which you do not, but that is just a frame of reference, not an IQ.

I wouldn't go fretting about your cleverness if I were you ... For all his reams of philosophy I bet Wittgenstein didn't get out anything so concisely observant as the Goats & Daffodils sketch ...

"Well,since you ask me for an unconsidered solution.." might the audience have been in the know all along?They politely applauded the bad performance and were ready to go home and remove their uncomfortable shoes/corsets, then bloody stupid Johnson played his "revenge" piece and the audience sat again and gritted their teeth.If Johnson got hit by a ripe tomato directly after the performance, Wittgenstein is mum on the subject.

I have listened to Cabin Pressure and JFSP repeatedly, as well as many of the interviews you have given. You always make me laugh and you know far more about literature and music than I ever will. I have never even heard of Wittgenstein until now. I would much rather laugh with you than be ridiculed by someone who obviously did not want my appreciation. As Arthur would say, "You are brilliant!" Cheer up Finnemore!

What you forget is that Wittgenstein's brother Paul was a professional pianist [who incidentally lost his right arm in WWI] and that the family had a concert room, with many, many concerts from excellent musicians of all sorts,so he would have been very familiar with all that stuff.

Well, since you asked me for a bit of meaningless twentieth century trivia, I believe I may now know something about the famous philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Seriously, I am always looking for ways to work your humour and quotes into conversation, and apparently so are the people over at the Wolf359 podcast. Please check them out. Sometimes I think they're writing Cabin Pressure...in space. (cue cheesy science fiction music)

Of course its perfectly possible that the only way Witty knew this to have been the case was because the insufferably smug Johnson told him about it later, and Witty omitted to mention this small but crucial fact to make himself seem more erudite and learned than his audience. Of course, would any academic ever consider presenting themselves in a favourable light solely for the massaging of their own ego?

If its any consolation Wittgenstein never did a good 'man walks into a shop' sketch either.

I was just listening to the 2016 BBC Radio Comedy Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival They had some fantastic entries this year, so you (and the other judges) all had your work cut out for you with regard to choosing a winner!

Well Wittgenstein once tried to write a book of philosophy solely from jokes. He gave up because he didn't have a good enough sense of humour. After all, and I do apologise for the racial stereotype I'm about to refer to, he was German.

I want to thank Julia Navaro for the loan given to me by her loan company NAVARO LOAN COMPANY. Needed a loan to start a my boutique and didn't know how to get a loan until I was introduce to NAVARO LOAN COMPANY by a friend online and she approved my loan of $300,000 with minimum income of $10 and now am a successful woman. If you need any type of loan from any country and of any amount at an interest rate of 2% contact Julia Navaro at Navaroloancompany@yahoo.com and live a happy life.

Are you financially down? Do you need a loan to start up business or pay off bills? we offer all kinds of financial assistance to every individuals "Business loan and personal loan, for investment, debt consolidation and house purchase etc." we will be willing to offer you the loan. Offer is affordable at an interest rate of 2%; this Funding program allows our client to enjoy low interest payback for as low as 2% per annul for a period of 2 months - 50 years. We can approve a loan/funding for a minimum of 5,000.00 up to 20,000,000.00 depending on the nature of business. but before we can proceed with the loan..Do contact us now via : {jonesloanfinance@yahoo.com}

Everest Base Camp Trek is one of those journeys that create your vacation dreams return true. Hiking on the legendary foothills just under the mighty Mount Everest 8848m with exciting views of the master peaks will solely be found within the Everest Region. This celebrated trek is thought worldwide for its trailblazing routes & the landscapes speak to your senses. On this trip you furthermore Mera peak out at the celebrated Kala Patthar (5,600m/18,373ft) read purpose for a few grand direct views of the very best mountain in the world. Everest Base CampTrek additionally includes different celebrated eight thousand peaks like Mt mountain peak (8,516m /27,940ft), Makalu (8,485m /27,838 ft) Cho-Oyu (8,201m /26,906ft). The culture of this specific space is of nice notebook stuff & interacting with the native of us puts a lot of zest into your venturesome journey as you walk through the Khumbu region of the Asian country. This legendary path could be a psychological thriller for top & wild hikers World Health Organization want the tread the methods wherever legends walked before on their thanks to conquering mountain peak, some did some didn’t however the Everest Base Camp Trek path keeps those legends alive for many trekkers World Health Organization head to the present region. The trip begins with a stirring mountain flight to Lukla, one among the world’s highest mountains; & as shortly as you set down at that altitude, the remainder is history. Your hike takes you to the favored village city of Namche, referred to as the ‘gateway to the Khumbu’’ & from there on you rehearse quiet monasteries with the acknowledge Sherpa of us World Health Organization inhabit this region & their culture is price noting. On the way, we have a tendency to visit the Sagarmatha parkland, home to some rare fauna & flora, this additionally wherever we have a tendency to adapt for a few time. We head deep into the Khumbu hiking into the forest of shrub, birch trees & pine, with colorful villages wherever we have a tendency to square measure sincerely welcome by the Sherpa community. we have a tendency to square measure pleasantly stunned to return across a hospital-based mostly in Khunde and health post at Pheriche that shows this region not solely cares for the locals however also are able to look out of trekkers World Health Organization have altitude issues. Doctors square measure invariably at the post for aid treatment. The Everest Base Camp Trek is arduous however varied teahouses square measure found on the paths providing smart grubbed to shelter from the generally harsh climate. Our trek culminates at base camp so we have a tendency to create a path for Namche as we have a tendency to hike back to Lukla to rendezvous for our flight to Katmandu. we have a tendency to add an additional contingency day for inclement weather which will delay flights. It’s recommended to be pretty acceptable to undertake this journey; you only want some smart hiking exercise before doing this trip. And Nepal Base Camp Treks can do the remainder to allow you AN action-packed odyssey of a period.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek assortment may be a known steady trekking route of seven days in Annapurna range region of Asian nation. Annapurna Base Camp trekking that additionally called Annapurna Sanctuary trekking is that the greatest distinguished trekking in Asian nation. the foremost peaks of western portion of large Annapurna Himal includes Hiunchuli, Annapurna south, Fang, Annapurna, Gangapurna, Annapurna three and Machhapuchchhre that ar organized in such a fashion that they exactly type a bend that have a diameter of virtually ten miles. Annapurna base camp trek of seven days from Kathmandu to Pokhara provides the nice influence of existence of a giant area within the core Modi Khola mark its resolution within the south of this ice mass vale in slender gorge of twelve,000ft deep. when you pass what is more to the south this gorge end up to be even wider and provides rise to the productive vale wherever Gurung folks live. Trekking in Asian nation Annapurna Base Camp higher and middle half Moody Khola offers trekkers some short cut trekking ways. Annapurna base camp trekking of seven days package begin its morning flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara and therefore the terribly day it goes on to Nayapul with personal vehicles and trek extend to Natural hot reserving in Jhinu danda, from wherever begins the Annapurna base camp or Annapurna Sanctuary Trek of the Asian nation Himalaya.